Vegetarian Summer Surprises - great food without meat

Summer treats without the meats

The markets and supermarkets are teaming with wonderful, mouthwatering local produce, all in season and at the top of their form...

...from asparagus to watercress, cauliflower to cucumber and peas to peppers.

Each tastes great on its own, are delicious in clever combinations, and sublime in recipes that lift them further still with Stokes Mayonnaise variations and Summer dressings.

There is so much amazing fruit and vegetables that it's hard managing to involve it all in the kitchen. Whether you pop it in a Pimms, blend a vegan burger, or sensationalise a summer salad - we hope you'll enjoy these ideas.


Vegetarian vibes

Cauliflower Steaks

This uses the core qualities of cauliflower to deliver a tasty, nutritional, texturally interesting and attractive plate of summer food.

You'll need: 

• 1 cauliflower
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced 
• 1 medium tomato, deseeded and diced
• 1 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Burger Relish
• 1 tbsp of chopped olives
• 2 tbsp of toasted flaked almonds, chopped
• 2 tbsp of flat parsley, chopped leaves

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7.

Depending on its size, you should be able to slice 3 'steaks' through the middle of the cauliflower each about 2 cm thick.

Paint each with the chipotle ketchup, place them in an oiled baking tray, then into the oven for 20 minutes.

For the accompanying salsa, holding back the almonds, combine the remaining ingredients with a drizzle of olive oil and season to taste.

When the steaks are cooked, plate them with another drizzle of olive oil and dress with the salsa - enjoy. 

 Huevos Rancheros 
   - all day breakfast, Mexican style

A classic Mexican dish that provides a hearty meal at any time of the day ... Ándale arriba !

You'll need:

• Olive oil
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 red onion, halved and sliced (for the salsa)
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 x 400 g of black beans
• 1 x 400g of kidney beans
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Jam
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Burger Relish
• 2 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 4 eggs
• 4 flour tortillas
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp of jalapeño peppers, chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced
• 1 lime
• 50 g of Cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp of chopped coriander 

Here's how:

For the re-fried beans: Soften the onions in a frying pan with a little oil. Add the chipotle ketchup, cumin, garlic and the beans (rinsed and drained). Pour half a tin of water into the beans and gently simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Mash the beans, season and set aside.

The salsa: Create a salsa with the red onion, tomatoes, burger relish and chilli jam. Tip your beans into a little hot oil and fry them for 5 minutes, moving them about the pan to stop them sticking. At the same time, in another pan, fry your eggs. 

Now, dress your plate with a warmed tortilla, beans, fried egg, salsa, peppers, slices of avocado a wedge of lime, some cheese and a scattering of coriander.

Vegan Mushroom Burger

This comes from the great foodie blogger, Hannah,  The Domestic Gothess who has been trying Stokes BBQ sauces range - and enjoying her new discoveries.


You'll need:

• 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed
• 2 1/2 tbsp of water
• 250 g (9 oz) of chestnut mushrooms
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 medium red onion peeled and diced
• 4 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
• 75 g (3 oz) of walnuts
• 50 g (1/2 cup) of rolled porridge oats
• 250 g (1 2/3 cup) of cooked puy lentils
• 2 tbsp of cornflour (cornstarch)
• 35 g (4 tbsp) of dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp of soy sauce
• 2 tsp of miso paste
• 1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 tsp of smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• a good grinding of black pepper
• 6 burger buns and your favourite Stokes ketchup, relish or mayonnaise.

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Mix the ground flaxseed and the water together in a small bowl and set aside.

Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the diced red onion and cook gently, stirring often, until soft.

Add the chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring regularly, until all of the excess water has evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to colour a little. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Place the walnuts and oats in the food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add the cooked mushroom mixture, the lentils, breadcrumbs, cornflour, soy sauce, miso paste, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is fairly finely chopped but still retains a bit of texture.

Give it a good mix, then divide into six and shape each portion into a patty using your hands. Bake the burgers for about 30-35 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until firm to the touch and crispy.

Serve with buns and your favourite Stokes relish. We're using Stokes Burger Relish here, with some of Stokes Real Mayonnaise on the side.

Thank you Domestic Gothess.





Special offer

This tasty bundle of Stokes BBQ Sauces tick all the boxes when it comes to making BBQs taste better. Click here (or the image above) and save 5% OFF the bundle - and receive a free gift as well.



More foodie thoughts for the week:






Sensational Summer BBQ recipes here.











Vodkamelon salad and other Summer delights here.









LAST CHANCE - Competition closes on Saturday here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

  

Last chance to enter - BBQ Competition closes on Saturday

Stokes Summer Sauces Competition

CLOSES  SUNDAY  15^th July
LAST CHANCE TO ENTER 

First Prize 

The First Prize is an amazing Grillstream BBQ (left) whose unique double grill means no flare-up, burn-free cooking and easier cleaning.

The large cooking area, ergonomic design and stylish finish will sensationalise your garden cooking.

Two independently operated stainless steel burners provide cooking flexibility and control. Use one burner alone and save on gas when cooking smaller meals. Alternatively you can direct grill with both burners for larger al fresco gatherings.

The lucky winner also gets a full dinner set from Cornishware - a splendid collection of plates, bowls, cups & saucers to grace an elegant evening outdoors.

Runners Up

There will also be 10 Runners Up Prizes of British-grown, fast-lighting gourmet BBQ charcoal from The Oxford Charcoal Company and a personalised mug from Cornishware. 

AND - if you fancy buying some of this lovely crockery, you will save 20% by entering STOKES in the 'offers code' box. (For orders over £25. One per customer.) 

 

ALL winners will also receive a selection of delicious Stokes BBQ sauces as well as a prestigious Stokes apron.

So, get thinking – why do you love barbecues? Let us know here and you could be a winner.

What's happening 
on Facebook & Twitter


Caption Competition

Here we find Hector and Flash, busy as ever. In this week's Caption Competition we ask you ... what do pigs dream of ?  Send us a caption - here - and we'll send you something tasty in the post.

Breakfast - dilemma or delight?  Well, obviously it's deliciously delightful with Stokes Extra Jams and Seville Orange Marmalade.

I see that @stokessauces were well and truly prepared for Wimbledon earlier this week: chair of comfort; hat of patriotism; and sachet of pure joy.

More foodie thoughts for the week:







Sensational Summer BBQ recipes here.









Vodkamelon salad and other Summer delights here.











Meat-free burgers and other Summer vegetarian ideas here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

BBQ Chicken - 3 ways

Chicken 3 ways - yum, yum and yum

Chicken is always one to be careful with on a BBQ. The good news is that you can do practically anything with it and it takes it. It loves long marinades and is equally comfortable with a quick brush 'n' cook.

Wings, breast meat, thighs and legs - it's all great. The only down side is that you have to make sure that it is cooked right through.

Always check it by pricking it at it's thickest part and right into the bone joint to make sure there is no blood and the liquids released run clear.

We tend to cook them almost through in the oven first then finish them off on the BBQ. This way you know it will be cooked properly, it still has the wonderful taste of that BBQ finish and it won't hog room on the grill - leave that to the pork ribs.


Free range - three ways

Honey & Lime Chicken Kebabs

You'll need:

• 4 large chicken breasts, skinless and boneless.
• 1 tbsp of Lemon Thyme, chopped leaves
• 2 tsp of grated ginger
• Juice and zest of 2 limes
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 tbsp of runny honey
• 3 tbsp of Stokes Sweet & Sticky BBQ Sauce
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Jam

Here's how:

In a large bowl, mix the thyme, ginger, lime, olive oil, honey, BBQ sauce and chilli jam.

Cut the chicken into 2 cm cubes then immerse in and coat them well with the marinade. Cover and marinate it ideally overnight.

On pre-soaked skewers, thread the chicken pieces.

Use the remaining marinade to baste the chicken whilst grilling on a medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes on each side.

BBQ Chicken Paillard 

Chicken 'paillard' is a piece of chicken (pork, beef, veal) that has been beaten out to a thin but most importantly, even piece of meat that will cook quickly and consistently throughout.

You'll need:

• 6 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
• 4 tbsp of Stokes Original BBQ Sauce
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 x glass of dry white wine.

Here's how:

One piece at a time, place each chicken breast between two large pieces of cling film and use a rolling pin to beat it out until it spreads and thins.

It doesn't really matter quite how thin you manage to get it as long as they are all about the same. The thinner it is, the quicker it cooks, so aim for about half a centimetre thick.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together for the marinade and drown the chicken pieces in it for at least an hour - the longer the better.

The chicken should only take 4 or 5 minutes to cook, turning half way.

Spatchcock Poussin BBQ

In a similar theory to paillarding (above), spatchcocking removes the bird's backbone enabling it to be spread, flattening it for quicker, even cooking.

You'll need:

• 2 x well soaked bamboo skewers per bird
• 1 bird per person or between 2 as part of a larger feast
• 4 tbsp of Stokes Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce
•  2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of runny honey
• 2 tbsp of chopped thyme leaves
• The zest and juice of 1 lime

Here's how:

To spatchcock the bird: Sit the poussin on its breast bone so that its back bone is facing you.

With good scissors, cut along each side of the back bone. Remove and discard it. Now open the bird out and cut the wishbone in half (this doesn't count towards a wish - sorry).

Turn the bird back over and press down hard on the breast bone which will flatten it out. To further help its smooth cooking, use a sharp knife to cut several slashes into the thighs.

Skewer the bird through one thigh across and through the diagonally opposing breast and wing. Repeat through the other thigh / breast and again for each bird.

For the marinade: Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and fully immerse the spatchcocked poussins in the marinade. Cover and leave them for as long as you can. Grill them on the BBQ for 25 to 30 minutes, brushing regularly with the marinade with each frequent turn of the birds.

Special offer

This tasty bundle of Stokes BBQ Sauces tick all the boxes when it comes to making BBQs taste better. Click here (or the image above) and save 5% OFF the bundle - and receive a free gift as well.



More foodie thoughts for the week:







BBQ side dishes - sweet potato 3 ways here.










Celebrate the Great British pea with tasty recipes here.





 




The competition ends very soon ... 
       if you haven't already, enter here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Freshen up your BBQ with Sweet Potatoes - 3 ways

Morning glory or nightshade

 
Just what are they cooking up today you might well ask. 

Don't worry, we still love having you as friends and customers, so no actual nightshade in the ingredients.

Today we are going to share three BBQ side dishes, each of which uses sweet potatoes - which are a member of the morning glory family, as opposed to normal white spuds - part of the nightshade group.

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fibre as well as containing a good array of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, and they're a good source of most of our B vitamins and vitamin C.

So, they are probably the nicest relative of 'bindweed' you'll find. Plus they taste good and are incredibly versatile too.


An 'oasis'of sweet potatoes 

Roast Sweet Potato Salad

You'll need:

• 2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 x 400g tin of 5 bean salad
• 1 red onions, sliced thinly
• 1 sweet red pepper, diced
• 2 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp of chopped thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp of runny honey
• 2 tbsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard
• The juice of 1 lime
• 4 tbsp of olive oil

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. Peel and cut the potatoes to 2 cm cubes. Toss the cubes in a bowl with half the oil, the runny honey and thyme leaves to coat them well, then bake in a baking tray for 40 to 50 minutes turning half way.

They are ready when they give easily to  the point of a knife. In a large bowl, mix the mustard, coriander, remaining oil and lime juice.

Add a twist of salt and pepper then the beans, onion, pepper and coriander, combining well. Add the still warm (not hot) roasted potatoes, combine, season and serve.

Make plenty - they'll be back for more !

 

BBQ Sweet Potatoes
with Coriander Mayonnaise

The sweet caramelisation of the potato with the spicy BBQ sauce makes this a must-have side dish. If you have room on the BBQ, grill them there, otherwise grill them in the kitchen.

You'll need:

• 2 or 3 sweet potatoes cut into thin wedges
• 3 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup
• 2 tbsp of olive oil

For the mayonnaise:

• 4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp of finely chopped coriander
• The juice of 1 lime

Here's how:

Very simply, heat your grill and oil it, whether inside or out.

Mix the ketchup and olive oil in a large bowl and fully coat the sweet potato wedges - now lick your fingers and wash them with a smile on your face.

Arrange the wedges on the grill and cook for 4 or 5 minutes each side. If they are still not soft when pricked with a knife, give them a little longer.

For the mayonnaise, mix all the ingredients well in a small bowl and serve with the sweet potato 'chips'. 

You'll find the flavours and textures combine really well.

Foil-Baked Sweet Potato

This is lovely with smaller potatoes so that you and your guests have one each - they also bake in less time. The filling is up to you, but this horseradish and spring onion filling works so well with the sweet fibrous 'meat' of the sweet potato.

You'll need:

• 1 x small sweet potato per person
• Olive oil
• 3 or 4 finely chopped spring onions
• 4 tbsp of Greek yogurt
• 4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp of Stokes Creamed Horseradish Sauce

Here's how:

Prick each potato with a fork and rub them with a little olive oil. Wrap each in a double layer of kitchen foil.

Now, they can either be nestled down in the hot coals or set in a medium high oven for 30 minutes, turning half way. At about 20 minutes, unpeel one and prick it with a knife to see if it is soft, therefore cooked.

Mix the yogurt, mayonnaise spring onion and horseradish in a bowl. Taste it and season if necessary.

When you're happy that the potatoes are done, open the foil, slice open the top of the sweet potato, add a good dollop of the dressing and enjoy !

Special offer

This tasty bundle of Stokes BBQ Sauces tick all the boxes when it comes to making BBQs taste better. Click here (or the image above) and save 5% OFF the bundle - and receive a free gift as well.



More foodie thoughts for the week:







BBQ chicken 3 delicious ways here.











Celebrate the Great British pea with tasty recipes here.





  



The competition ends very soon ... 
       if you haven't already, enter here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Peas, perfect peas - Great British Pea Week

Fresh as the moment 
      when the pod went POP !

It is Great British Pea Week (9 - 15 July), a celebration of the pea harvest and the 700 British pea farmers who harvest 2 billion 80 g portions a year.

The first peas to be frozen were done so because of the invention of the 'plate froster' in 1920 by one, Clarence Birdseye. The vast majority of Garden Peas and Petits Pois are frozen within just two and a half hours of being picked, locking in their enormous nutritional values, rich colour and sweet taste.

The only difference between Garden Peas and Petit Pois is that the latter are picked younger.

DID YOU KNOW:  The thick London fogs of the 19th and 20th Centuries were called 'pea soupers' because of their density and greenish tinge.

See if you can beat Janet Harris's world record this weekend. In 1984, she ate 7,175 peas on 60 minutes - one by one with chopsticks!   OK, I agree ... watch the football and Wimbledon instead.


Peas please

Pea & Mint Ricotta Salad 
with Mint Mayonnaise

You'll need:

• 4 to 6 slices of prosciutto
• 125 g of frozen peas
• 100 g of Ricotta
• 2 tsp of Stokes Mint Sauce
• 2 tbsp of Stokes Olive & Balsamic Dressing
• 5 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp of chopped mint leaves
• The juice of half a lime

Here's How:

Put he prosciutto in a frying pan and heat it up (no oil). It will gradually become crisp. When it is crisp, put it on kitchen paper to dry then break into brittle shards and set aside.

Add a nob of butter to the hot pan and gently fry the peas for 2 minutes. Put the ricotta in a bowl with half the mint leaves and 1 tsp of mint sauce and mix well.

Put the mayonnaise into another bowl and mix in the other teaspoon of the mint sauce and the lime juice.

To serve, spoon your minted ricotta onto a plate with the peas over the top and drizzle with the dressing. Season well, top with the crispy prosciutto and serve with your minted mayonnaise.

Pea'ummus

This is a pea-based hummus that makes a delightfully fresh dip as a starter or for nibbles with drinks.

You'll need:

• 125 g of frozen peas
• 2 tbsp of chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp of chopped coriander 
• 2 tbsp of chopped mint
• 2 tbsp of tahini
• 2 tbsp of water, warm
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• 4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• Sliced raw vegetables for dipping

Here's how:

Blend everything to a smooth 'hummus-like' paste. You may need to add more water if it is too thick. If it becomes too thin, fry off and add more peas.

Serve it with raw vegetables to dip in it, or toasted pitta bread. It works really well simply spread on toasted french bread as crostinis.

Chilli Pea Patties

You can make these as spicy as you like, but it's nice to leave the chilli working with the sweetness of the peas instead of against it.

You'll need:

• 125 g of thawed peas, roughly mashed
• 85 g of panko breadcrumbs
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam
• 2 tsp of garam masala
• 2 eggs

For the curry mayonnaise:

• 4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise
• 2 tsp of curry powder
• 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
• a squeeze of lime juice 

Here's how:

In a large bowl, mix the peas, breadcrumbs, spring onions, chilli jam, garam masala and eggs well together. Then form them into even sized patties - 4 larger ones or 6 to 8 smaller ones.

Fry in oil gently for 3 minutes a side to brown them and serve with curry mayonnaise.

For this, mix the mayonnaise and spices well together with a squeeze of lime juice. For a sweeter, pink curry mayo, add 1 tbsp of Stokes Curry Ketchup instead of the spices.

More foodie thoughts for the week:







BBQ chicken 3 delicious ways here.










BBQ side dishes - sweet potato 3 ways here.






 



The competition ends very soon ... 
       if you haven't already, enter here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Competition update - it's closing soon

Stokes Summer Sauces Competition

Competition closes 15^th July

First Prize 

The First Prize is an amazing Grillstream BBQ (left) whose unique double grill means no flare-up, burn-free cooking and easier cleaning.

The large cooking area, ergonomic design and stylish finish will sensationalise your garden cooking.

Two independently operated stainless steel burners provide cooking flexibility and control. Use one burner alone and save on gas when cooking smaller meals. Alternatively you can direct grill with both burners for larger al fresco gatherings.

The lucky winner also gets a full dinner set from Cornishware - a splendid collection of plates, bowls, cups & saucers to grace an elegant evening outdoors.

Runners Up

There will also be 10 Runners Up Prizes of British-grown, fast-lighting gourmet BBQ charcoal from The Oxford Charcoal Company and a personalised mug from Cornishware (above).   

ALL winners will also receive a selection of delicious Stokes BBQ sauces as well as a prestigious Stokes apron.

.

The competition is open from 28^th May and closes on 15^th July.

So, get thinking – why do you love barbecues? Let us know here and you could be a winner.

What's happening 
on Facebook & Twitter


Caption Competition

The Stokes menagerie continues to grow. Rick @stokessauces and his family rescue  and look after animals from wallabies to rheas, retired battery hens to resting ducks. This proud dad is giving one of his latest little ones a safe place to rest in this warm weather.

This little one has not yet been named - that's up to you. At this age the sex of a baby rhea can't be defined so you have a choice ... boy or girl. Give us a name for this lucky rhea and the best ones will receive something delicious in the post.

Go on - have a go.

More foodie thoughts for the week:







BBQ chicken 3 delicious ways here.










BBQ side dishes - sweet potato 3 ways here.











Celebrate the Great British pea with tasty recipes here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150